The Latest: US ‘ready’ to deploy resources from reserves

This Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, satellite image provided by NASA Worldview shows fires following Yemen’s Houthi rebels claiming a drone attack on two major oil installations in eastern Saudi Arabia. The drones attacked the world’s largest oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia and a major oilfield operated by Saudi Aramco early Saturday, sparking a huge fire at a processor crucial to global energy supplies. The island shown in the image is Bahrain, while the peninsula in the image is Qatar. (NASA Worldview via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on the explosion and fire at a major oil facility in Saudi Arabia (all times local):

3:10 a.m.

The U.S. Energy Department says the U.S. “stands ready to deploy resources from the Strategic Petroleum Oil Reserves if necessary to offset any disruptions to oil markets” in the wake of a drone attack in Saudi Arabia on the world’s largest oil processing facility.

In a statement Saturday night, the department said Energy Secretary Rick Perry has also directed department leadership to work with the International Energy Agency on potential available options for collective global action if needed. Nations of the 30-member IEA seek to respond to disruptions in the oil supply and advocate for energy policy.

The U.S. strategic oil reserves holds 630 million barrels.

Huge fires erupted Saturday after Yemen’s Houthi rebels used drones to attack the Abqaiq oil processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Saudi officials say production operations at the sites have been temporarily suspended.

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2:10 a.m.

Saudi Arabia’s energy minister has confirmed that attacks on its oil facilities Saturday knocked out about 50% of the country’s production and said it will make up for some of the loss with oil stocks.

In a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz says explosions at Saudi Aramco’s Khurais and Abqaiq plants caused several fires that were controlled, but there were no injuries.

The minister says that according to preliminary estimates, 5.7 million barrels a day of oil production were lost, and the supply of ethane and natural gas also was cut by about half.

He says Aramco will provide updated information within 48 hours of restoring full production.

Prince Abdulaziz says the attacks were aimed not only at Saudi Arabia, but also at the world’s oil supply and its security.

The attacks, attributed to Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, sparked huge fires at a vulnerable chokepoint for global energy supplies.

But in Saturday tweets, Pompeo says “there is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen” and points the finger at Tehran. He adds, “Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply.”

The attacks come as Trump has held the door open for nuclear talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and as Iran restarted some uranium enrichment in violation of the 2015 nuclear accord.

Pompeo says the U.S. calls on all nations to “condemn Iran’s attacks.”

He adds, “The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression.”

The White House says in a statement that “The United States strongly condemns today’s attack on critical energy infrastructure.” The attacks sparked huge fires at a vulnerable chokepoint for global energy supplies.

Spokesman Judd Deere says the attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis “only deepen conflict and mistrust.” He adds that the U.S. government is “committed to ensuring global oil markets are stable and well supplied.”

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10:45 p.m.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received a telephone call from President Donald Trump in the wake of a Houthi rebel drone attack on Saudi oil facilities.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington says in a news release that Trump expressed his country’s readiness to cooperate with the kingdom in supporting its security and stability following the attack Saturday.

The drone attack hit the world’s largest oil processing facility and another major oil field Saturday, sparking huge fires at a vulnerable chokepoint for global energy supplies.

Trump said recent attacks against Saudi state-run oil facilities have had a negative impact on the U.S. and global economies.

The crown prince assured Trump that Saudi Arabia is “willing and able to confront and deal with this terrorist aggression,” according to the release.

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8:10 p.m.

The U.N. special envoy for Yemen says he is “extremely concerned” about a drone attack claimed by Houthi rebels on two major oil installations in Saudi Arabia.

The drone attack hit the world’s largest oil processing facility and another major oil field Saturday, sparking huge fires at a vulnerable chokepoint for global energy supplies.

The attack likely will heighten tensions further across the wider Persian Gulf amid a confrontation between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers.

Martin Griffiths urged all parties to “prevent such further incidents, which pose a serious threat to regional security, complicate the already fragile situation and jeopardize UN-led political

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12:50 p.m.

A military spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi rebels has claimed a drone attack on two major oil installations in Saudi Arabia.

Yahia Sarie made the announcement Saturday in a televised address carried by the Houthi’s Al-Masirah satellite news channel.

He said the Houthis sent 10 drones to attack an oil processing facility in Buqyaq and the Khurais oil field.

He warned attacks by the rebels against the kingdom would only get worse if the war in Yemen continues.

Sarie said: “The only option for the Saudi government is to stop attacking us.”

The kingdom did not say who was behind the attacks Saturday. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have launched similar attacks, but did not immediately claim the latest assaults.

The ministry said investigations were ongoing.

One attack struck a major oil facility in Buqyaq, which is near Dammam in the kingdom’s Eastern Province. Online videos apparently from the area showed a massive blaze on the horizon, with the apparent sound of gunfire in the background.

The ministry identified the other area targeted as its Khurais oil field.

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6:55 a.m.

A Saudi-owned satellite news channel is reporting an explosion and fire at a Saudi Aramco facility in the kingdom’s east, without offering a cause for the blaze.

The Dubai-based broadcaster Al-Arabiya reported the fire early Saturday morning in Buqyaq, which is near Dammam in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.

The channel did not elaborate.

Online videos showed a massive blaze on the horizon, with the apparent sound of gunfire in the background.

State media in Saudi Arabia did not immediately report on the incident. Requests for comment to Aramco and officials in the kingdom were not immediately acknowledged.

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